Orientation detector



July 12, 1966 R. s. VUKOSIC ORIENTATION DETECTOR Filed March 10, 1965 ROBERT 5. VUKOS/C United States Patent 3,260,363 ORIENTATION DETECTOR Robert S. Vulrosic, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Mar. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 438,688 Claims. (Cl. 209-530) This invention relates to an orientation detector and more particularly to a go and no-go gate for allowing passage of an item only in a specific orientation.

In the art of container openers, it is often necessary to be certain that the container is in a specific orientation prior to submitting it to an opening device. The present invention relates to an orientation detector useful for determining the orientation of a container and preventing its movement beyond a specific location in the event it is in an orientation which would prevent its being opened properly.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved orientation detector.

In accordance with one embodiment of my invention a container is provided with a recess region along one edge of one surface, which recess region must be in a specific orientation for the container to be properly presented to an opening equipment. A follower rides over the one surface to pass into the recess region when the container is presented in the desired orientation. When the follower does not drop into this recess, it is maintained in a raised position by the engaged surface. Such a condition of the follower maintains a stop mechanism secured thereto in a lowered no-go position and thus prevents passage of the container.

The subject matter which is regarded as my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. The invention, however, as to its organization and operation, together with further objects and advantages, will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view of one embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view partially broken away of the detector of my invention engaging a container of proper orientation; and

FIG. 3 is a similar view of the detector engaging a container of one improper orientation.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like numbers indicate similar parts, I have shown in FIG. 1 a container or cartridge which, by way of example, may be a cartridge containing an exposed roll of 8 mm. film in the lower portion thereof when in the proper position, as illustrated. The exposed surface 1 1 of the container 10 is provided with a pair of slots or recesses 12 and '13 in one surface near the front portion thereof.

During orientation detection, the cartridge 10 moves as indicated by an arrow 14 over an elongated platform 16 having a raised shelf 17 thereon. As the cart-ridge 10 engages the follower or detector arm 20 of my invention, the follower is raised to pivot on its pivot support 21 by engagement by the leading edge 22 of the cartridge 10. In addition to gravity bias, I prefer that the follower 20 be biased in a downward direction by spring means 23.

Raising of the follower 20 raises a pin 24 thereon which pivots a stop control lever 25 on its pivot support 26. Thus, when the follower 20 is raised, a no-go pin 28 of the stop control lever 25 is lowered (as shown in FIG. 3) to lie in front of the leading edge 22 of the cartridge 10. This scissors-like action prevents passage of containers of improper orientation. However, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the follower 20 drops into the slot 12 the no-go pin 28 is again raised and remains raised during ice the passage of the pin 28 over the leading edge 28 to allow passage of the cartridge 10.

The particular construction of the cartridge 10 illustrated provides a ridge 30 along the front edge which extends outward to lie in the same plane as the exposed surface 11. Similarly, the recesses :12 and 13 are separated by a pair of ridges 31. The follower 20 as illus trated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is spaced from a guide surface 32 by a washer 34 sufiiciently so that the follower 20 does not engage the ridge '30 when the front surface of the cartridge '10 lies tightly against the guide surface 32. In FIG. 1 the engagement of the cartridge on the surface 32 is assured by a spring member 36. However, in FIGS. 2 and 3, this engagement is assured by sloping of the support surfaces '16 and 17.

Even with the cartridge properly oriented, it will be noted that engagement of the follower 20 on the ridges 31 and a ridge 38 at the trailing portion of the exposed surface 11 raises the follower 20 and the pin 24 to again lower the arm 25. However, when the cartridge 10 is in these locations, the pin 28 is over the exposed surface /11 whereby lowering of the support arm 25 brings the pin 28 into contact with the surface 11. As the pin 28 is slidingly supported in the arm 25, this engagement compresses a spring 40 positioned to bias the pin 28 downward by means of a collar 41. Since the cartridge 10 is provided with only two slots 12 and 13 and these slots are elongated, the follower 20 will remain in the lowered position whereby the pin 28 remains in a raised go position when and only when the cartridge 10 is in the position indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

When in the position indicated in FIG. 3, the follower is raised prior to the no-go pins passage of the leading edge 22. In other words, the follower moves beyond the depressed region of the narrow dimension of the slot 13 before the pin is over the exposed surface 11. This is feasible because the slots 12 and 13 are elongated across the front edge of the exposed surface 11 and extend a shorter distance therefrom in a lateral direction. On the other hand, raising of the follower 20 by the ridges 31 (as in FIGS. 1 and 2) occurs shortly after the leading edge 22 passes under the pin 28.

In order that a previously passed cartridge 10' (FIG. 1 in phantom) does not compress the spring 40 to hold the pin 28 at the height of the edge 22, the cartridge 10' rests on the surface of the platform 16 rather than on the shelf 17. Obviously if the shelf were omitted, a recess in the platform 16 would serve as well. However, the difference in height is by design between the follower 20 and the pin 28.

In order that the pin 28 is not raised during passage of the leading edge of the cartridge 10 in the orientation depicted in FIG. 3 there is also provided a small set-back 43 between the ridges 31. When aligned with the pin 28, this set-back 43 provides additional tolerance to allow the feeler 20 to drop into and move out of the recess 13 prior to the no-go pin 28 stopping the cartridge. This tolerance is particularly useful if the recesses 12 and 13 are more nearly square or if the speed of detection is increased substantially.

As will now be apparent, the follower 20 will be raised by an exposed surface of the cartridge 10 at a critical position of the cartridge in every orientation thereof except the desired one. Thus, the pin 28 will indicate a no-go condition and stop further advance when any cartridge 10 is in any position other than that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of this invention, modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in this art. I intend therefore to have the appended claims cover such embodiments as properly fall within the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. An orientation detector for a container moveable along a preselected path and having an exposed recess in a preselected location on a surface, comprising:

a follower positioned along the preselected path to engage an exposed surface during passage of the container thereby, and to move into the recess during a preselected orientation of the container;

a no-go pin drivable to a position in front of the leading edge of the exposed surface in response to outward movement of said follower, said pin and said follower being spaced so that when said follower is in the exposed recess, during and only during the preselected orientation of the container, the leading edge of the container will be free to pass under said pin; and

resilient means compressible between said follower and said pin by engagement on the surface to allow said follower to be driven upwardly from the exposed recess without driving said pin to the no-go position.

2. A detector as in claim 1 for a container having the recess adjacent to one edge of the exposed surface, wherein said follower is spaced from a guide surface to move into the recess only when the properly oriented container has a surface adjacent to the guide surface; and

spring means for pressing the container against the guide surface to assure such positioning of the container.

3. A detector as in claim 1 having a raised shelf terminating between said follower and said pin for supporting the container during detection whereby a previously passed container will lie at a lower level relative to said pin so as not to compress said resilient means during the passage of the leading edge of said second container through a no-go position.

4. An orientation detector for a container moveable along a preselected path and having an exposed recess in a preselected location on a surface, comprising:

a follower positioned to engage an exposed surface during passage of the container through the preselected path, and to move into the exposed recess when the container is in a preselected orientation; and a no-go pin being coupled to said follower and drivable thereby to a lowered position in front of the leading edge of the exposed surface by outward movement of said follower, said pin and said follower being spaced along the preselected path so that when said follower is in the exposed recess, during and only during one relative orientation of the container, the leading edge of the container will be free to pass under said pin. 5. A detector as in claim 4 for a container having an elongated recess substantially parallel to and adjacent to one edge of the exposed surface, wherein said follower is spaced from a guide surface to move into the recess only when the properly oriented container is adjacent to the guide surface; and

the spacing of said pin relative to said follower such that said follower is in a trailing portion of the elongated recess when the leading edge of a properly oriented container passes beyond said pin.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,246,876 11/1917 Casella 20972. 11 2,356,236 8/1944 Gagne 209-90 2,652,139 9/1953 Baehr et al 198-332 3,095,957 7/1963 Roberts at al. 193-43 References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,524,829 2/ 1925 Koehler. 2,793,035 5/ 1957 Wroblewski. 2,802,560 8/1957 Engleson et al. 2,991,881 7/1961 Craven.

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

A. L. LEVINE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ORIENTATION DETECTOR FOR A CONTAINER MOVEABLE ALONG A PRESELECTED PATH AND HAVING AN EXPOSED RECESS IN A PRESLECTED LOCATION ON A SURFACE, COMPRISING: A FOLLOWER POSITIONED ALONG THE PRESELECTED PATH TO ENGAGE AN EXPOSED SURFACE DURING PASSAGE OF THE CONTAINER THEREBY, AND TO MOVE INTO THE RECESS DURING A PRESELECTED ORIENTATION OF THE CONTAINER; A NO-GO PIN DRIVABLE TO A POSITION IN FRONT OF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE EXPOSED SURFACE IN RESPONSE TO OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID FOLLOWER, SAID PIN AND SAID FOLLOWER BEING SPACED SO THAT WHEN SAID FOLLOWER IS IN THE EXPOSED RECESS, DURING AND ONLY DURING THE PRESELECTED ORIENTATION OF THE CONTAINER, THE LEADING EDGE OF THE CONTAINER WILL BE FREE TO PASS UNDER SAID PIN; AND RESILIENT MEANS COMPRESSIBLE BETWEEN SAID FOLLOWER AND SAID PIN BY ENGAGEMENT ON THE SURFACE TO ALLOW SAID FOLLOWER TO BE DRIVEN UPWARDLY FROM THE EXPOSED RECESS WITHOUT DRIVING SAID PIN TO THE NO-GO POSITION. 